This is a new and most decidedly improved More than Money newsletter.  If you’ve received our letters in the past, you know that Gene – for better or for worse – wrote all of them.

Our newsletters going forward will be composed of contributions from many of our (your) advisors who are far more interesting than I.

MtM Financial and More than Money 2025 Slide Show

Catch up on the team antics in 2025 with this link to our ‘professionally’ produced slide show.  Keep in mind that we take our work in serving you very seriously.  Apparently, we don’t take ourselves very seriously at all.

Family Wealth Advisors

MtM Financial has evolved significantly since we were founded.  Many more advisors, more employees, more services for our clients, more technologies to better serve our clients, and a much wider vision of who we serve.

To that end, we have evolved our titles for our/your advisors to Family Wealth Advisors.  We hope this new title more accurately reflects our commitment to you and your family.  As my family has grown to three generations, I’ve become acutely aware of how important those generations are to each other.

We want to serve you and all the generations of your family.  We want you to be served by all the generations of our More than Money family.  The fifty (50) year span between the ages of our Family Wealth Advisors presents an outstanding opportunity for you and your family to be served by someone who will be with you for perhaps the entirety of your life.

Your honor us when you permit us to be your Family Wealth Advisor to you and to each additional generation we serve.

Alyssa Young – Thanks for Supporting ‘Invest in You’

As I write this today, we just wrapped my 16^th quarterly event—our fifth annual shoebox-packing party to bless underprivileged children in our community with gifts and necessities this holiday season.

I am filled with gratitude for the generosity, participation and support of everyone in the MtM Financial Group family who contributed to make each of these 16 programs a success. We’ve raised money and collected donations for various causes, completed a variety of fun activities (cheers to trying new things!) and made great friends. Most recently, in October, we created our own succulent terrariums and delivered a carload of food, plus cash, to the Nazareth Area Food Bank. On Dec. 11, we wrapped and packed 100 shoeboxes for babies and toddlers in families Cay Galgon Life House supports. See recaps about all of the past Invest in You events here.

Planning the events is a lot of work, but it’s worthwhile because I enjoy our time together and feel fulfilled by helping those less fortunate than we are. Thanks to all of you, Invest in You continually exceeds my expectations! I would love to hear your ideas for future activities and causes to support.

Introducing: Gavin Kirsch

The last six weeks have been a whirlwind of learning names, exploring new systems, and discovering just how much caffeine fuels this place.

A little bit about me and my passions – I graduated from West Chester University in May 2025 with my Bachelor of Science in Finance. I chose to pursue finance because I have always been fascinated with money – not only how it grows, but how it affects people’s lives. While I thought studying for exams would be over after graduation, I was sadly mistaken. I traded in my last-ever summer break for textbooks and exam prep, earning the licenses I needed to launch my career in finance. Though it was a challenge to take on in such a short timeframe, it proved to be one of the best decisions I’ve ever made, as it ultimately led me here!

I’m excited to play a role in MtM’s vision of becoming a truly generational financial advisory firm – one that not only helps clients grow and protect their wealth but also builds long-lasting relationships with appreciative clients. I am truly humbled to be a part of such a talented and dedicated family, and I look forward to contributing to the meaningful work we do for our clients every day.

Happy holidays and I look forward to meeting more of you!

Introducing: Makaila Scarcelle

I’m still new to the financial world, and while I still have a lot to learn, one of my first lessons was that every client I meet brings something special to my day. Your energy, trust, and conversations are what make this place feel alive, and I’m grateful to be part of your journey.

I may not be a financial advisor, but I come with my own sense of perspective, curiosity, and a genuine love for people. My motto has always been to see the good in everyone. Even in a world where money can feel intimidating, emotional, or sometimes just plain confusing, our clients remind me why finances matter. You make it make sense! (And here’s a fun fact to brighten your day: financial advisors are basically the only people who can look at a spreadsheet and genuinely feel emotion. Seriously… it’s like watching a child play with their favorite toy).

A little about me outside the office: I love to cook and try out new protein-packed recipes, though some are definitely prettier in theory than on the plate. I’m also a big workout lover, even on the days when I question every life choice that led me onto a treadmill. My boyfriend Zach and I recently moved into our first home together, which has been an adventure full of light switches, surprise repairs, and an alarming number of Amazon purchases. 

I’m currently studying for my Series 7 license and learning more each day. Not just about finance, but about the incredible people who give MtM its heart. As I grow in this role, I’ll be sharing my favorite “fun lesson of the quarter” with all of you. I truly can’t wait to meet more of you and continue growing alongside this amazing community that already feels like home.

Melissa’s Miscellaneous

I studied art history and literature in college. My hobbies include plants, baking, crafts, and anything other than finance. So, you may be asking: why I work at MtM and what I hope to contribute to this financial newsletter? Well, what started as a temporary job to help answer the phone during the peak of tax season has evolved into something I found worth staying around for several years. It was comparable to falling in love (or falling down if you aren’t an optimist), before I realized it had begun I was already in the middle of it. I found myself enjoying what MtM does, even if it highly involves interacting with one of my least favorite things: math.

What I really love about my work at MtM is you guys! It’s the people that bring that warmth of humanity to cold hard cash- the reasons why you guys invest: the trips, the family, the dreams, the things that are more than money. I enjoy helping the advisors do their advisor-things so that they can serve you to the best of their ability. And that has turned into my job basically being best described as “helping a little bit with everything.”

My contributions to the newsletter are going to follow a similar pattern- a little bit of everything that is more than money. While the rest of the newsletter will be filled with rich financial wisdom, you can find little hiccups of something else here: a tip about plant care, a movie recommendation, a historical fun fact, a tried-and-true recipe, and whatever else Gene lets me publish. I hope to see you next newsletter with tips on Orchids! In the meantime, I will leave you with a holiday fun fact: “Jingle Bells” was written as a song celebrating the Thanksgiving season, not Christmas!

Chad Rupprecht

While tax efficiency, debt reduction, and total return on our retirement assets are certainly worthy of our attention, we are not only called to be good stewards of the gifts given to us. We are called to be examples to others, and most importantly – to love others. The focus of this piece is Charity.

The Greek word ‘Agape’ is translated both as ‘love’ and ‘charity’. We are commanded to love our neighbors, and one of the best ways we can obey this command is through giving. The Bible is full of examples of those who gave to those in need and were in turn blessed. We are told of one of these people in the Book of Acts – Tabitha (Dorcas in Greek). Dorcas was cited as ‘always doing good and helping the poor’ (Acts 9: 36 NIV). When she became sick and died, disciples called on Peter to visit her. They showed Peter the robes and other clothes that Dorcas had made, and they cried at the loss of their friend. Peter sent them out of the room. He prayed, then told her to get up. He helped her to her feet, and he called to the believers to show that she was alive. This became known all over the area, and as a result, many people believed in the Lord.

We do not do good because it is the path to salvation. We do good, because we are commanded to do good, and through us, others might learn about Jesus. During this season of exchanging presents and finding out what ‘we got for Christmas’, I encourage you to take the time to support a local charity, so that others can find out what ‘they got for Christmas’. And through our actions, others might learn to know the Lord as we do.

Blessing to you and your loved ones this Christmas season.

Your Amazing Tax Team

The “One Big Beautiful Bill Act” (OBBBA), signed into law on July 4, 2025, makes many provisions of the 2017 Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (TCJA) permanent and introduces new, mostly temporary, tax breaks for individuals and businesses, primarily effective for the 2025 and 2026 tax years. 

Below is a summary of key tax provisions for your clients.

Key Individual Tax Provisions

• Tax Rates and Standard Deduction: Existing income tax brackets (10% to 37% top rate) and the nearly doubled standard deduction amounts are made permanent and will be adjusted for inflation.
  • 2025 Standard Deductions: Single: $15,750; Head of Household: $23,625; Married Filing Jointly: $31,500.
• State and Local Tax (SALT) Deduction Cap: The cap on the itemized SALT deduction is temporarily increased from $10,000 to $40,000 for tax years 2025 through 2029. A phaseout applies to taxpayers with a Modified Adjusted Gross Income (MAGI) over $500,000, but the deduction cannot fall below $10,000.
• “No Tax on Tips” Deduction: A new, temporary deduction (2025-2028) allows for an above-the-line deduction of up to $25,000 for qualified tips received in customary tipping occupations. This deduction phases out for MAGI over $150,000 (single) or $300,000 (joint).
• “No Tax on Overtime” Deduction: A new, temporary deduction (2025-2028) is available for qualified overtime pay, up to $12,500 for single filers and $25,000 for joint filers. This deduction also phases out for MAGI over $150,000 (single) or $300,000 (joint).
• Deduction for Seniors: An additional deduction of $6,000 is available for individuals age 65 and older from 2025 through 2028. This is in addition to the existing standard deduction for seniors and also has income limitations.
• Child Tax Credit: The nonrefundable Child Tax Credit is permanently increased to $2,200 per child (up from $2,000). A portion of the adoption credit (up to $5,000) is also made refundable.
• Auto Loan Interest Deduction: A temporary deduction (2025-2028) of up to $10,000 in interest is allowed for loans on new, U.S.-assembled vehicles. It is an above-the-line deduction with a phaseout starting at $100,000 MAGI (single) or $200,000 (joint).
• Estate and Gift Tax Exemption: The basic exclusion amount is permanently increased to $15 million per individual in 2026 (indexed for inflation), up from $13.99 million in 2025.
• Energy Credits Eliminated: Most clean energy tax credits under the Inflation Reduction Act, including the new and used Electric Vehicle (EV) credits, are eliminated for purchases made after September 30, 2025. 

Key Business Tax Provisions

• Qualified Business Income (QBI) Deduction: The 20% Section 199A deduction for pass-through entities is made permanent.
• Bonus Depreciation: The 100% bonus depreciation is permanently restored for qualified property acquired and placed in service after January 19, 2025.
• R&D Expensing: Taxpayers can immediately deduct domestic research and experimental (R&E) expenditures incurred after December 31, 2024, rather than capitalizing and amortizing them over five years.
• Section 179 Expensing Limits: The maximum Section 179 deduction is increased to $2.5 million (indexed for inflation), and the phase-out threshold is raised to $4 million.
• Business Interest Limitation: The calculation for the Section 163(j) business interest deduction limit will be based on EBITDA (earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation, and amortization) through 2029, which is a more favorable method than the prior EBIT standard.
• 1099 Reporting Thresholds: The information reporting threshold for Form 1099-MISC and 1099-NEC payments to independent contractors is increased from $600 to $2,000 starting in 2025. 

Gene Dickison – Words Are Powerful Tools For American Freedom

And, of course, our personal freedom is directly connected to the blessings bestowed on us by our Creator. Hence the following words have been part of my Christmas message each year since.  Merry Christmas and God bless you.

“Christmas – A Time for Gifts!”

“For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son,

that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.”

John 3:16

Now that’s a gift. Ties are nice.  Power tools are very cool.  Jewelry may be a woman’s best friend.  A nice bottle of wine – nice.  Tickets to the State Theatre – always appreciated.

Eternal life – now that’s a gift! Joy to the World – indeed!  Joy to you and me.  How would you even wrap a gift this great?  Why in swaddling clothes, of course!

Please allow us to serve you and those you love,

Your MtM Family Wealth Advisors